Retirement home

Vindario

Active member
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Location
Norway
Hi!

Me and my buddy are planning on playing some songs on the guitar and the ukulele at a retirement home. Does anyone have some suggestions on songs or type of music that old people would appreciate? Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Hi!

Me and my buddy are planning on play some songs on the guitar and ukulele at a retirement home. Does anyone have some suggestions on songs or type of music that old people would appreciate? Thanks!

Our club played at one. Any kind of upbeat "happy" music will do. WE did some Hawaiian, traditional pop classics, and holiday music as it was Christmas time. Here, check out what Lil Rev has to say on the subject. Good luck.

http://fountainofuke.blogspot.com/2012/05/singing-on-senior-circuit.html
 
Old Folks Boogie. :cool:
 
Not sure....Pearly shells maybe happy songs of their era that they can connect to....
Here is a music studio who helped a 96 year old man who lost his wife and wrote a song of her and helped him make a recording and video...http://www.greenshoestudio.com/a-letter-from-fred.html
 
Last edited:
Any kind of upbeat "happy" music will do. WE did some Hawaiian, traditional pop classics, and holiday music as it was Christmas time.
That's pretty much spot on.

If you think about the age of the people in the home (most likely in their 80s/90s), 50 years ago many of them were probably boogying to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

Songs like "Five Foot Two" and "Has Anybody Seen My Gal" can be fun, but don't assume that's your audience.

Edit: Both of the "Daily Uke" books are chock full of fun songs for all ages.
 
+1 on whatever Lil's Rev suggests, as King of the Nursing Home Circuit.
 
I suggest you print out lyrics for a few songs (LARGE print) to pass out for some sing-a-longs.
Everyone knows the first few words to most songs like "All of me" or Five ft. 2" but then after the first couple of lines they stop so the lyrics keep everyone in the loop. Also have a couple Jewish/Italian/Irish type songs ready as they go over big depending on the ethnicity of the group.
 
I play at 2 homes every month. They like "fly me to the moon", Ain't mis behavin", side by side, under the boardwalk, it had to be you, nobody till somebody loves you, aint she sweet, sunny side of the street...... I also play 50's stuff, usually nothing newer than that. If you need some ideas look at eugene ukulele site. He has some real classics. The only advice I can give you is try to keep it peppy. Just because some of them are in wheel chairs doesn't mean they won't be dancing! :) Have fun! It is quite the blessing to play for the elderly.
 
My mother's not in a retirement home but she is 91, so I asked her what she'd like to hear. It boiled down to songs from the 1940's, love songs, and Elvis.
 
Hi!

Me and my buddy are planning on playing some songs on the guitar and the ukulele at a retirement home. Does anyone have some suggestions on songs or type of music that old people would appreciate? Thanks!
Old songs, vintage music from the time of their youth and their halcyon days - 1920s, 30s and 40s.
 
My husband and I did a number of songs for an older group at a YMCA pot luck. Oh What a Beautiful Morning from the musical Oklahoma was an instant hit, and inspired a sing-a-long by the chorus. You might consider other songs from The King and I... I am sure they would be a hit.

–Lori
 
I believe music for the 40s and 50s are good, plus old standards that everybody knows. And a couple of well-known Hawaiian songs are, to me, somewhat expected. We do play ukuleles.
Our group tends to play music from the 20s at nursing home gigs, but itfyou think about it, the current crop of seniors was born then. They like newer stuff. But if you are having fun they will too.
 
We play at retirement homes also. All the song suggestions here are good ones. One shelf in our bookcase is full of fake books and that's where we get most of our songs. They will be in a good singing key-voice range wise. We bought one of those little chord chart stamps to add to the fake book songs if we need the chords--we don't know:).

As to the age of songs.....I added Elvis's "Good Luck Charm" to a program and she said that was too recent. However, it's 50 years old. Think about it....Even songs from the 60's are now about 50 years old! We weren't born in the 20's or 30's and were babies in the late 40's, but we really like the music from those years and so do our audiences. Most of the caregivers have never heard the stuff before :) and they still like it.
 
Old songs, vintage music from the time of their youth and their halcyon days - 1920s, 30s and 40s.

music from the 20's? come on. that would make some of the audience around 100. they would applaud anything. honestly, they know you've come to entertain and you've gone to a lot of trouble to be there so they will act appreciative of almost anything. they are your grandparents and are nice people. music that sounds good to you will sound good to them, not metallica or rap maybe but new stuff is quiet acceptable. i'm not being flippant or trying to be funny here, just tired of people thinking older people are stuck in the past. i'm old, i'm retired and i love a lot of 'new' music. don't be condescending with your youth, treat them as the valuable people they are. old people would appreciate THAT!
 
How wonderful of you and your friend to go and visit. They will appreciate it greatly. Folks around here like all the older stuff and the standards, even as far back as the 20's because the music has been handed down. Also, around here, they really like the old Southern hymns and country/country western music.
 
Top Bottom